Damn The Circumstance
by merderfan93
Summary: Jack and Rose after Titanic
1. Chapter 1

Another new story… I couldn't help myself. Let me know what you think

Jack stood back and watched as Rose stared, entranced at the Statue of Liberty. He couldn't even begin to name the emotions passing through her beautiful green eyes.

He watched silently as an officer carrying an umbrella stopped beside her and asked for her name "Dawson. Rose Dawson" she replied her voice quiet but firm, she hadn't even looked at him.

Jack's draw dropped. She had taken _his_ name. He still couldn't believe that this had happened, that this amazing girl… _woman_ had given up a life of luxury, had risked her life more than once for _him_. A wandering artist with ten bucks in his pocket.

His heart clenched at the thought, where would they go? She had told him that she was prepared to live however he did but there was no way he was going to have her sleeping under bridges and on park benches.

He took a breath and stepped forward, gently placing his hand on her shoulder, so as not to startle her, she looked up at him and smiled almost shyly.

He reached up and brushed a stray strand of wet hair behind her ear "I'm sorry" she blurted looking ashamed although he couldn't figure out why "I didn't mean to just give him your name like that, I didn't even think it just seemed like the obvious thing to do" he cut her off by pressing a finger to her lips before she could go any further.

"Hey, its okay I'm not mad. I'm honoured really. I just… you made a lot of really big choices and I just want to make sure that you're okay with well with everything" he cursed himself for being so inarticulate.

She stared at him for a second and he could've sworn his heart stopped beating. This was it, this was the moment she decided she'd made a huge mistake.

"I told you I was getting off the ship with you and I meant it. Even if it is a different ship" her lips tugged upwards as she offered him a small nervous smile.

Jack let out a sigh of relief and pulled her into her arms "I love you, I love you so much"

"I love you too, Jack" she pulled away and gripped his hand in hers, turning her attention back to the Statue.

It was several moments before he heard her soft gasp of surprise, looking down to see what had caught her attention he was stunned to see she was holding The Heart of The Ocean. She stared at him her eyes wide before she threw her head back and started laughing. She laughed to the point of hysteria and there were tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Oh God, that's not funny. I'm sorry its really not that funny, I don't know why I'm laughing" she cleared her throat and sobered herself and shoved the diamond back in the coat pocket and stuck her hand in the other pocket, pulling out a wad of bills. She stared up at him in shock.

"Bastard must've trying to buy his way off the ship" she muttered sounding disgusted.

A half hour later they finally got off the ship, both breathing a sigh of relief at being at dry land. Jack pulled Rose close to his chest struggling through the crowds of hopeful family and journalists, gathered like vultures waiting for a good story.

Eventually they managed to fight they're way through the crowds and found themselves on a deserted New York side street. He glanced down at Rose his heart clenching at the sight. Her eyes were bloodshot and heavy with exhaustion and her face still hadn't regained its usual color. She looked up at him hopefully, expectantly and he swallowed.

"Well, uh I guess we should probably find somewhere to spend the night, unless you know anyone in the city…" he knew it was stupid, of course she didn't. Not anyone that would take them in after everything.

"My grand parents!" she exclaimed her face lighting up "They live in the city, I'm sure they would take us in"

Jack stared at her dubiously "Uh I wouldn't be so sure about that…"

"Oh they're my grand-parents on my father's side. They're nothing like my mother. They don't exactly get on and I haven't seen them since long before my father died"

"Well if you're sure" he responded hesitantly, pushing down the spark of hope forming within him. Despite her confidence he had yet to receive a warm welcome from her side. "Do you know where they live?"

"In a house on the uh…" she trailed off trying frantically to remember, it had been a while and she was still struggling to solidify her thoughts.

"The west side of central park! In the little house!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Okay great, lets go"

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Rose pressed the doorbell and stepped back beside Jack, slipping her hand in Jack's

"Please be home. Please be home" she repeated softly bouncing on the balls of her feet both from anticipation and an attempt to ward off the cold. The torrential rain had lessened somewhat but there was still a noticeable drizzle.

She felt Jack squeeze her hand reassuringly and smiled at him, focusing her attention on the house when she heard movement from inside. A light was flicked on and she heard the key turn in the lock and the door swung open to reveal an older man in a house coat and slippers, muttering under his breath.

It took a second for Harold Bukater to recognise the haggard looking woman in front of him but when he did he could've sworn his heart stopped in his chest.

"Rose" he breathed. His beautiful granddaughter who he hadn't seen since she was ten years old was standing in front of him. Now a beautiful young woman, looking slightly the worst for wear but beautiful nonetheless.

No-one said anything for a few moments until Rose broke the silence,

"Hello, Grandfather" she offered. This seemed to snap the man out his reverie and he stepped forward and gathered her in his arms.

"Oh Rose, my beautiful Rosebud. What happened to you? What on earth are you doing here at this time of night? Where's your mother?" he asked in a rush, making Rose's head spin.

"Can we come in? I'll explain everything." This was the first time that Harold notice Jack, who was standing to the side watching the exchange nervously. Harold eyed him and Rose before nodding and leading them inside.

"Of course, of course, come in. Goodness you must be freezing!" he rubbed her arms and lead them through the double doors into a dimly lit hallway.

"Lynette! Lynette! Get down here! He called up the stairs. They stood for a moment as footsteps came down the stairs

"Harry? What in God's name are you yelling about at 3am?" It wasn't until she got to the bottom step that she noticed them. She stopped short, her hand flying to her mouth as she gasped.

"Rose? Oh my God is that you" Rose smiled and nodded, once again finding herself enveloped in a warm hug. It had been years since she had received this much affection, it was all becoming a bit overwhelming.

"My God sweetheart what on earth are you doing here? You look awful what happened?" had it come from anyone else. Namely her mother, she would've found the comment offensive but it was so filled with love and concern that it made Rose want to cry.

"Oh darling come sit, tell us what happened. Harold don't just stand there, put the kettle on for God's sake" She wrapped her arm around Rose's shoulders and began to lead her into the kitchen but stopped as she glanced over her shoulder and noticed Jack for the first time.

"Oh, dear I didn't realise there was someone else with you. I'm Lynette Bukater and this is my husband Harold" she stuck her hand out.

Thankfully, Rose noticed his unease and leapt to his aid "Grandmother, Grandfather. I'd like you to meet Jack Dawson." She tried her best to sound confident but Jack could still sense her fear. He felt it to.

"Nice to meet you" Lynette nodded leading them both into the kitchen.

"Now tell us dear. What on earth are you doing here?"

Rose inhaled "I assume you heard about the Titanic?"

"Oh yes of course, such a tragedy"

Rose could only nod as tears threatened to overwhelm her "Well, we were on it"

There was a moment of stunned silence as her grandparents stared at her in shock "Oh my God sweetheart I had no idea. What happened?"

Rose swallowed and began to tell her story, from Cal proposing to her in Boarding School in Paris, to boarding the Titanic and meeting Jack.

When she was finished, her exhaustion from before had multiplied ten fold and she had to lean against Jack for support, both physically and emotionally.

"Oh my God my poor darling. That must have been awful for you" Lynette stood up and wrapped her arms around her, gently stroking her hair "You two must be exhausted, go on upstairs and get some rest. I left your room the way you like it sweetheart"

"The purple room?" Rose asked hopefully. She had visited her grandparents a handful of times when she was younger and one of they're guests rooms was decorated in an array of lavenders and purples, Rose's favourite colour, and she absolutely loved it.

"Of course. Come on now up you go. I'll have breakfast ready for you in the morning"

When they made it up the stairs Rose collapsed on the bed, exhausted. Jack smiled softly as he slipped off her coat and shoes, placing a blanket over her shoulders before moving to make himself comfortable on the floor.

"What're you doing?" Rose asked lifting her head up

"I'm uh going to sleep."

"On the floor?"

"Well yeah…"

Rose smiled. She remembered Cal's words from the dinner on Titanic _You could almost past for a gentleman._ The fact was that Jack's actions over the past few days had proved that he was more of a gentleman than Cal could ever hope to be. She held her hand out and motioned for him to join her.

"Are you sure?" he still seemed hesitant and she nodded.

"Of course. I'm not about to let you sleep on the floor. Besides I want you with me" Jack smiled and lowered himself on the bed beside her, pulling her into a backwards spoon. "I love you" he whispered into her hair

"Hmm, love you too" Rose murmured before sleep finally overcame her.

**Thoughts? **


	2. Chapter 2

There was a sliver of light through the blinds when Jack woke the next day. He couldn't find a clock but he guessed it was late morning or early afternoon. It had been late when they had arrived last night and they had both been exhausted. If he was honest he was still exhausted but for whatever reasons his body didn't seem to want to sleep anymore.

He looked down at Rose who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms, her firey red curls spread out on the pillow, a serene smile on her face. In short she was beautiful. He still couldn't believe that this had happened. That he had found her, and more importantly, that she wanted him, or seemed to just as much as he wanted her. As he watched her sleep he felt his heart would burst out of his chest with the love he felt for her. And he knew that he wanted to wake up to her every morning for the rest of his life.

He watched her for a few more minutes before his stomach rumbled, reminding him that it had been hours, _days_ since they'd eaten. Placing a gentle kiss on her forehead he slipped out of bed and began looking around for his clothes. They hadn't had time to replace what they'd lost on the Titanic so he had no choice but to put on the ones he'd been wearing.

Once fully dressed he quietly slipped out of the room and made his way down the staircase, taking in his surroundings. The house was tall and narrow giving it a nice homey feel. The walls in the hallway were painted a dark green and there were various pieces of art adorning them.

He smiled when he reached the bottom and spotted Monet's Water Lilies, identical to the one he had admired in Rose's stateroom. He stopped in front of it and reached his hand up and traced the outline of the shapes with his finger, careful not to touch the canvas. No matter how many times he saw it, it never ceased to amaze him.

He wasn't sure how long he stood gazing at it before he was interrupted by a voice from behind him "It's extraordinary isn't it?"

He jumped and turned to see Rose's grandmother standing in the doorway, of what seemed to be the kitchen. "Yeah, I love how he uses colour, everything seems to blend in, nothing exists on its own"

The older woman smiled and nodded in agreement "You're absolutely right. Tell me are you an artist?" she turned and headed back into the kitchen so he followed her, feeling more than a little nervous. He had never been ashamed of his 'career', if you could even call it that before, but he had Rose to think about now, and while she claimed to want to live however he did. Ten cents a piece wasn't going to cut it anymore.

"Uh yeah" he swallowed nervously

"Really? What kind of work do you do?" Jack started, she actually sounded interested, unless she was just building up a false sense of security…..

"Charcoal drawings, people mostly. I do some landscapes but I'm not that good"

"I believe you are blushing Monsieur Big Artiste. I can't imagine Monsieur Monet Blushing"

"_He does landscapes" _

He smiled at the memory. The drawing had been his best work and now it was lying at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, along with all the others.

"I see. And is that how you plan on supporting my granddaughter?" Ah. There it was.

He cleared his throat "Uh no. I was planning on trying to find a more stable job in the new few weeks"

"I see" Lynette moved away from the stove and sat down across from him at the table, and he noticed to his great surprise that she was smiling.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Damn, he thought he'd hidden it better than that.

"It's just we haven't exactly gotten the best response from, well anyone really"

"Ah, I assume you mean my daughter-in-law?" she raised an eyebrow, expectantly and Jack nodded

"Yes, well, we did always differ on our views on what was important in life. But you don't have to worry about that from us. A blind fool could tell how much you two love each other and after everything you've been through, everything else should be easy in comparison" she smiled supportively

He opened his mouth to reply but before he could a sleepy looking Rose entered the kitchen, her eyes lighting up when she spotted him "Hey!" he jumped up and offered him his seat, sliding into the one next to it "How'd you sleep?"

"Good" she nodded "I woke up and you were gone and I though..," she trailed off and stared at the suddenly, fascinating table

"You thought what? That I'd left?" she didn't sat anything, her gaze still fixed on the table Jack sighed and gently lifted her chin so that she was forced to look at him

"Rose, I love you okay? I didn't go through all that just to leave now. Do you trust me?" She gazed at him and he could see the trust in her eyes the same trust she'd held when he'd pulled her back over the railing, it scared him almost, that he could do something to break it.

She nodded her head and blushed "It was stupid of me really, to get so irrational"

"It wasn't irrational" she shot him a look

"Okay, maybe it was a little but you're kind of entitled to it right now"

The conversation was interrupted when Harold burst into the kitchen, looking more than a little flustered and out of breath, clutching a piece of paper to his chest. They all glanced at him curiously and Lynette stood up and walked over to him

"Harold, what on earth is the matter?"

He didn't reply but simply thrust the paper at her. She took it and read it quickly, gasping as she read the words "Oh my God"

Rose and Jack were really confused now "Grandmother? What is it?"

"It's a telegram from your mother" Lynette told her when she'd finally recovered

Rose frowned "My mother? Why would my mother send you a telegram?"

"To tell us of your death"

"What?" Rose shrieked, jumping up and grabbing the paper. Sure enough there was a note from her mother stating that Rose had died on the Titanic after giving Ruth her seat on a lifeboat. Rose snorted when she read that part "So that's what she's telling everyone". She felt Jack move beside her and wrap his arm around her shoulder, peering down at the paper in her hand. She leaned into his warmth instinctively, feeling immediately comforted.

"Are you going to reply?" she asked her grandmother.

"I don't know do you want us to?"

Rose shook her head "Could you not? I want to avoid contact with her if I can, even if it is through you"

"Of course sweetheart, whatever you want" Lynette kissed her forehead.

"Speaking of contact" Rose ventured cautiously "Have you heard from Addison recently?"

"We have actually, she wrote us about six months ago telling us she got married"

"She and David got married?" Rose couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips

"Yes, about six months ago at City Hall I believe. They've been travelling since"

"Who's Addison?" Jack asked

"My older sister. She ran off with the gardener about a year ago quite the scandal"

Jack laughed at her tone remembering the last time she had said the words "I didn't know you had a sister. How old is she?"

"Twenty. I haven't seen her in about four years, since mother sent me to boarding school in Paris. We used to write to each other but she stopped after my father died last year and I haven't heard from her since"

Jack frowned "I'm sorry about your father. What happened?"

Rose shrugged trying to keep the threatening tears at bay "I don't know. Mother wrote me and told me that he'd died and that I wasn't allowed to come home."

"That's awful. I'm so sorry" he pulled her close to his chest.

"It doesn't matter any more. That was my old life, I have a new life now. With you"

Jack couldn't help but smile at the confidence in her tone "With me" he replied equally confident.


	3. Chapter 3

May 1912

David Forrest sucked in a breath as he let himself into the apartment he shared with his wife, if you could even call it that, bracing himself for what was to come.

It didn't work.

She was sitting in the same spot she had been that morning, having not moved apparently, staring into space still clutching the damn newspaper article as well as being surrounded by other newspapers.

She had been like this for a month now. Since she had first read of her sister's death in the Titanic sinking.

He sighed and dropped himself down beside her though she made no move to acknowledge his presence. He gently raised his hand and pushed a stray curl behind her ear, his heart breaking when he saw the tear tracks down her cheeks.

"Addie" he sighed running his thumb over her cheek, she didn't move.

"How bout we go for a walk?" he suggested tentatively " it's a beautiful sunset"

She didn't say anything but turned her head ever so slightly to look at him. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, she hadn't slept in weeks.

"C'mon Addie, it'll do you good to get out. Just for a little bit I promise"

She didn't say anything, which he took to be positive. So he stood up and held his hand out to her. She stared at him for several painstaking moments before she finally stood up on shaking legs and slipped her hand in his offering him a weak smile, which he returned as he lead them out of the apartment.

00000

The walked silently through the streets of New York eventually ending up in Central Park. Addison had talked herself under his arm at one point and was walking alongside him resting her head on his shoulder. They were making their way around the lake when they heard a loud giggle.

Addison raised her head and looked around "Did you hear that?" he nodded "I swear I know that laugh"

Seconds later a couple came along the path. A blond man around twenty chasing a girl around the same age with flaming red curls who was squealing with laughter as he wrapped his arms around her waist and she struggled to break free "Jack no stop!"

Addison gasped beside him and he furrowed his brow, he knew that voice from somewhere.

The couple made their way towards them, still seemingly oblivious to their presence until there were only a few feet separating them. The girl looked up first and stopped in her tracks and he immediately knew who she was.

Rose

The same Rose, incidentally who had supposedly perished in the Titanic sinking a month previously. There was a moment of stunned silence before Rose gasped and threw her arms round her sister, who stood still beside him.

"Addison! What are you doing here?"

Addison looked even more bewildered than she had before "What am _I_ doing here? What are _you _doing here? You're supposed to be dead!" her pitch had raised a view octaves so the statement came out as a high pitched squeak which would have been funny in any other situation.

Rose gaped at her "What?" before a look of understanding crossed her face "Oh God no. No it's not what you think"

"Clearly. Jesus Rose what the hell is going on" he couldn't tell if she was more mad or upset.

Rose bit her lip and glanced at the blond man beside her "We're staying with our grandparents will you come home with me so I can explain?" her voice was hopeful, almost pleading.

He could tell Addie was reluctant so he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze "Fine" she sighed, Rose looked relieved.

The man bent down and murmured in Rose's ear "I've gotta go to work, will you be okay" Rose nodded and smiled, A radiant smiled full of love and trust. The same one Addison had given him the day they'd married.

They parted ways and Rose led them out of the park towards a narrow house in between two large brownstones. They entered through the main door and settled in the front room.

There was a moment of awkward silence as Rose searched for a way to explain

"So were you planning on telling me what the hell is going on any time soon?" Addison demanded and he smiled. She had never been known for her patience.

"Okay but it's a really long story and sounds ridiculous but you have to stay with me okay?"

Addison nodded and Rose took a deep breath before she told them what had happened on the Titanic. By the time she had finished he had to agree with her, it really did sound ridiculous.

Apparently Addison agreed with him as she gaped at Rose for several minutes her mouth opening and closing several times but no sound coming out.

Rose just shrugged "I told you it was crazy"

Finally Addison found her voice "Oh God Rose I am so sorry" she sounded close to tears and he wanted nothing more than to hug her but he knew not to.

Rose sighed and wrapped her arms round her "Oh Addie, you don't have to apologise, everything worked out well in the end"

"B-but you were engaged to that awful man and mother…" she trailed off with a sob

Rose pulled back far enough so that she was looking her in the eye "Addison, listen I'm not going to lie and tell you that any of that was particularly pleasant and that I wasn't mad at you when you left me in the middle of it, because I was. But in the end, everything worked out for the best, because it led me to Jack, and you got David"

This seemed to help and Addison calmed down "I guess you're right"

0000

Some time later the two sisters were still sitting on the sofa, Rose's head rested on Addison's shoulder. David had excused himself a while after Rose's explanation but Addison had decided to stay.

"I went to your memorial" she said softly

"Really?"

"Hmm, David took me. I was really upset when I found out about your death, he thought it might help"

Rose smiled, it sounded like something Jack would've done "Did it?"

Addison let out a bitter laugh "No, if anything it just made things worse"

"It did?"

Addison sighed "We snuck in the back, I didn't want mother or anyone else to see me. But of course she did and we got into this big screaming match in the middle of the church"

Rose didn't know what to say to that. Fortunately it appeared she didn't have to "God that woman is so frustrating. She was playing the grieving mother act, going on and on about how she should never have let you give up your seat for her. I mean I didn't know exactly what had happened but I knew that wasn't the case."

Rose snorted trying to hold back a laugh, she could just imagine the scene "What did she say when she saw you?"

"Oh she had plenty to say to me. Called me selfish for having abandoned my family and marrying someone beneath me"

"Ah yes, that seems to be a favourite sentiment of hers." Rose said wryly

"She called you selfish?" Addison asked in disbelief.

"Hmm" Rose breathed, " when I met Jack. I finally felt brave enough to stand up to her and she wasn't happy."

"Rose that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, you're the least selfish person I know."

Rose didn't reply "Rose?" She repeated. But when she looked down she saw that she had fallen into a peaceful slumber. It wasn't long before she joined her, finally feeling at peace for the first time in months.

Thanks for all the great response to this story, I'm so glad people are enjoying it. Although I was wondering if there was any interest in my other stories? They don't seem to be getting as much feedback as this one. I'll try and update when I can but things are going to get kind of hectic over the next 8+ weeks as I have end of year exams study for.

Let me know what you think! x


	4. Chapter 4

"Good morning!" Rose said in a sing song voice one morning a few weeks later.

"Mornin' what're you so happy about?" Jack asked curiously, she had spent a lot of time with her sister since their reunion and she had seemed a lot happier than when they had first met, they heaviness that had plagued her had lifted, but this was even happier than normal, especially first thing in the morning.

"Why not? It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, spring is here, I'm in love with a wonderful man, life is good" she sang as she poured herself some coffee.

"Oh there's something else, look at you you're practically bouncing"

Try as she might Rose couldn't suppress the grin that spread across her features, she put down her mug and moved over to him wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind kissing him on the cheek "today, is May 2nd"

"Okay" he drew the word out, still not fully understanding.

Rose rolled her eyes "which is the day I was _supposed_ to be marrying Cal" she supplied placing extra emphasis on the supposed. Jack's smile was almost as wide as hers as the realization dawned on him

"Oh, I see" Rose nodded and giggled, burying her head in his shoulder "I love you"

His smile grew wider just as hers had, they exchanged "I love yous" on a regular basis but her openness never ceased to amaze him, there were still moments were he couldn't believe his luck she loves _you_.

"We should do something to celebrate" Rose grinned, "We should" but her face fell as a thought occurred to her "Oh I can't, I have to work today"

Lynette owned a dance school in Greenwich Village and she had employed Rose as a helping hand dealing with the accounts, additional paperwork, even helping teach a couple of classes.

"Nonsense" Lynette said from the doorway startling them both "Go out and have fun, we'll manage without you"

Rose was hesitant "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Go" she kissed her forehead. "You could go visit your grandfather at the store while you're out"

Rose nodded and headed out the kitchen and up the stairs Jack at her heels.

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"There you go" Jack handed her the brown paper bag with two bagels as he sat down on the bench in Central Park beside her.

"she moaned gratefully as she bit into it "Hmm God I can't believe how much I love bagels"

"You've never had one before?" Jack asked feigning surprise as he bit into his own, she scoffed "Of course not you really think my mother would let me indulge in something like Bagels?"

Jack shrugged "fair enough. Well you haven't had a bagel until you've had a New York bagel" he made a show of licking his lips and she giggled

"and you've had a lot of them I assume?"

"Not really when I was travelling and didn't have much money but we used to have them at home the baker in town used to bake them fresh, bagels, rolls everything. Pa used to go get some after he'd fed the animals in the morning."

He smiled wistfully and Rose reached over and gently squeezed his arm. He rarely mentioned his family or his past but she could tell it made him uncomfortable.

He snapped out of his reverie and turned to face her with a smile "So, what'd do you want to do today?"

"Can we just wander and see where we end up?"

Jack nodded and stood up holding out his hand "Of course Madame" he said in a haughty tone Rose grinned and took his hand allowing him to lead them through the park.

They walked for hours through the city, stopping occasionally to rest, Jack showing her everything he had discovered in New York while he had lived there as well as discovering new things. Rose was in heaven, she had never really been allowed to explore anywhere before, there had always been an agenda, an itinerary, a dinner or a party to attend…

"How long did you live here?" she asked as they rested on the steps of the courthouse.

"About eight weeks? Enough time to earn money for a steamer to Europe. I never really lived anywhere back then."

"I'm so jealous" Rose said as she leaned back on the step taking in the sun "I lived in the same house my whole life until they sent me to boarding school in Paris and even then I wasn't allowed out of the school"

"Well we can live anywhere you want" he smiled kissing her hand.

"Anywhere?"

"Yup. Wherever you want"

"Hmm, some place warm. Where you the sun shines all year round"

"Huh, that narrows it down" he said sarcastically making Rose laugh.

They walked for a few more blocks before they came across the public library "Oh can we go in please?" she asked with childlike excitement.

Jack nodded and they walked up the steps he'd never really been one for books but she looked so excited he couldn't say no

"Wow" she breathed as they pushed through the revolving door. He had to admit it was impressive, rows and rows of mahogany bookshelves almost as high as the ceiling.

Rose was bubbling with excitement "C'mon" she dragged him through the aisles her eyes moving excitedly over the shelves "There's so many" her voice was a hushed whisper brimming with excitement.

"Yeah. I don't think there were this many books in the whole of Chippewa Falls" Rose giggled and turned to the shelves running her fingers along the spines "Oh Jane Eyre! I love Jane Eyre" she pulled the book of the shelf and flipped through the pages

"You read a lot?" Jack asked resting his head on her shoulder

Rose nodded "Its my escape" she paused for a moment "You know what your art is for you? That passion and joy you get from it?"

"Yeah"

"That's what reading is for me, always has been. It was like the one thing that my mother couldn't control"

"You ever think about writing?"

She turned to face him, shocked "Me? Write?" she scoffed "I couldn't possibly…"

"Have you ever tried it?" in the short time that he had known her he got the feeling that she had some self-esteem issues, probably as a result of her mother and Cal telling her that she wasn't capable of anything other than looking pretty and engaging in polite conversation and he was desperate to show her that she could do anything she wanted

"Well no…"

Jack sighed, "that's what I thought. Rose, how do you know that you can't do something if you haven't tried"

"Well I don't…" she looked down ashamed

"Rose" he lifted her chin "You can do anything you put your mind to okay? The sky is your limit and I can guarantee you that whatever you decide to do I will be there supporting you okay"

She closed her eyes for a long moment and when she opened them again there was a hint of tears building in them "Thank you Jack" she told him earnestly her voice full of emotion

"Nothing to thank me for" he kissed her forehead

"Now come on, I'm sure there's more in here you want to see"


End file.
